The present invention relates to a portable-type measuring apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a portable-type measuring apparatus in which one desired measuring unit selected from a plurality of measuring units having unique measuring functions is used so as to be incorporated with a common unit common to the measuring units, and which is constructed so that it is unnecessary to rewrite a memory for storing a program for measurement.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a portable-type measuring apparatus 50 constructed by incorporating a conventional common unit 51 with a measuring unit 57.
A display unit 52, an operation unit 53, a memory 54, an interface for an external device (not shown), and a CPU 55 are provided for the common unit 51.
On the other hand, on the measuring means 57, hardware such as an optical time domain reflectometer (hereinbelow, referred to as an OTDR), an optical spectrum analyzer, or the like is mounted.
Accordingly, when the loss or the like of an optical fiber is measured, a measuring unit 57a for the OTDR is inserted into a slot 56 of the common unit 51 to perform the measurement.
When an optical spectrum analysis or the like is performed, a measuring unit 57b for the optical spectrum analyzer is inserted into the slot 56 of the common unit 51 to perform the measurement.
However, the exclusive-use memory 54, for example, a memory in which a program for measurement of the OTDR has been stored is previously installed in the common unit 51.
Accordingly, in the case where the optical spectrum analysis or the like is subsequently performed, even when the measuring unit 57b for the optical spectrum analyzer is inserted into the slot 56 of the common unit 51, the optical spectrum analyzer is not constructed because the program stored in the memory 54 on the common unit 51 side is different from that for the analysis.
Therefore, the contents of the memory 54 have to be rewritten to the program for the optical spectrum analyzer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable-type measuring apparatus in which, to eliminate the above drawback, a CPU for controlling measuring means, an operation unit, a display unit, and an interface unit is provided for a common unit, and a memory for storing a program to control the measuring means, the operation unit, the display unit, and the interface unit by the CPU is provided for a measuring unit to provide a program according to a measuring function on the measuring unit side, so that measurements by various functions can be performed by merely exchanging the measuring unit without rewriting the program.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable-type measuring apparatus in which the periphery of a first cross section is matched to that of a second cross section, the cross sections being obtained by dividing a case into two parts, to connect a first connector and a second connector, so that a connected case can be made compact, and its portability can be improved.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable-type measuring apparatus comprising:
an operation unit (5) for inputting an instruction for measurement;
measuring means (11) for performing measurement specific to itself;
a display unit (6) for displaying a measurement result;
an interface unit (7) for receiving or outputting data from/to an external device;
a CPU (8) for controlling the operation unit, the measuring unit, the display unit, and the interface unit;
a memory (12) for storing a program to control the operation unit, the measuring means, the display unit, and the interface unit by the CPU; and
a case for accommodating the operation unit, the measuring unit, the display unit, the interface unit, the memory, and the CPU,
wherein the case can be separated into a common unit (2) and a measuring unit (10) and has fixing means for fixing the common unit and the measuring unit,
the common unit comprises the operation unit, the display unit, the interface unit, and the CPU,
the measuring unit comprises the measuring means and the memory,
the CPU arranged on the common unit side transmits or receives data and a control signal to/from the memory and the measuring means arranged on the measuring unit side, and
the measuring means can perform the specific measurement according to the contents of the memory.